


The Octopus really wasn't a Signature

by Tona_Tonakai



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!, Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: BAMF Skull (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Viper | Mammon, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Yuu | Player, He didn't think about the possibility of them meeting, Mentions of Acrophobia, Other, Skull (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!)-centric, Skull has flashbacks, Skull is an octopus, Skull is ruthless with money but only Viper knows, Skull thought the Leech Twins and the Arcobaleno were enough, The Tweels being Tweels, mentions of abuse, mentions of bullying, post-Arcobaleno curse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-22 06:01:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30034155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tona_Tonakai/pseuds/Tona_Tonakai
Summary: Noone ever thought about the fact that as Mafiosi, they all have masks as a safety measure. They disregarded that of Skull, the formerly Civilian Stuntman and Weakest Cloud Arcobaleno.Oh Skull would love it if he could trick them into a contract with him like he did to many others back home, but the Prefect had an influence on him even if they weren't here with him.Honestly, it was just a mistake that landed him here, in the Prefect's world, on accident. Now if only this world had Magic like his, it would make things imensely easier.Being dragged into their verson of the Mafia who's level of incompetence leveled that of the Witch of Thorns' prowess is just... ugh. But he has a mask to uphold as the arrogant, cowardly and idiotic stuntman that breaks the mould of a typical Cloud Flame user. Yuu said he wasn't far off, but... he usually wasn't that bad... right?The past three decades were tiring, but he managed, somewhat. Then the Twins caught a whiff of him, and his life descended into Reborn-approved level of Chaos.
Relationships: Arcobaleno & Skull (Katekyou Hitman Reborn!), Azul Ashengrotto & Floyd Leech, Azul Ashengrotto & Floyd Leech & Jade Leech, Azul Ashengrotto & Jade Leech, Implied Malleus Draconia/Yuu | Player
Comments: 38
Kudos: 102





	1. Prologue: Glimpses into the cursed life of Skull

**Author's Note:**

> This is just the adventures of Azul Ashengrotto as Skull de Mort after being thrown into another world, become a stuntman to try and quench his fear of heights, chose an octopus as his signature, dragged into the Flame Mafia, discovering he has Flames and that he doesn't fit the mould for said Flames, got an Octopus as a Familiar, all the while being an Octopus Merman without the ingredients to make a potion to turn himself to human if he were to transform back on accident.

Skull has a way with money. And his deals are smart and discreet enough that no one ever realized until it's too late to back off.

Viper learned this the hard way, after a deal with the Cloud turned out to be more than they expected. Worse, they found no loophole, and the deal wasn't harmful to them at all really, just that they got less out of it than him.

That was how the Civilian Cloud earned the Greatest Mist's grudging respect and cautiousness.

That was what everyone safe for Viper overlooked in him, and Skull revelled in it. The cunning bastard, Viper likes that part of him, so they indulged in his games, of course with a fee. That was _so_ right up in the Cloud's alley in fact, that he had agreed easily. It's hard to come across someone who is cunning on a big scale and _actually good at it_ , after all.

"So, in our next plan to drain this stupid Famiglia dry, i'll divide the profit 50/50, that's as good as you get from me." Viper floated in the air as Skull hummed from his position on the couch in the main room. His child body couldn't even hide the amusement and glee in how he sat: perfectly aristocratic, complete with an arrogant smirk that fit his face too well.

"Good enough. Do i get more credit for exterminating them off the face of the Earth? Say, 60/40."

"55/45."

The room fell into silence, before Viper smirked and Skull cackled.

"Let's not waste more time. Time is money, after all."

" _Of course_."

.  
.  
. 

An Octopus. As his Familiar.

Skull resisted the urge to laugh out loud, ignoring his inner pride and dinity because of _the ultimate irony_ in this situation. Of course, no one would understand the hilarity except him and Yuu, and the Night Raven Graduates that have met him in real form.

"Looks like it's time i give them a hint of what exactly they're dealing with, eh, Oodako?"

The octopus chirped in confusion through his breather, before startling a bit in awe as the Cloud's droopy violet _human_ eyes turned sharp silvery blue, the light hitting off them giving the orbs an azure sheen. The pupils simply aren't even that of a human's anymore, they're a horizontal rectangular shape bending with the irises. Oodako marvelled at the beauty of his master's eyes, because they belonged to the most gorgeous octopi of the deep waters back home.

He must have said his mind out loud, because his master, Skull's sharp eyes softened and crinkled as he grinned. Oodako rather liked that smile of his.

He would learn to hate the Arcobaleno later, because his master does not deserve such treatment, such _abuse_ from the likes of them.

Skull reassured his Familiar that he could handle it, and he's planning to pay back the favor in a far more humane way.

Oodako couldn't wait. He'd kept the secret from the other Familiars because Skull was more than his Master, and he was more to Skull than just a pet, he was Family in a way _they_ never were to the Cloud.

.  
.  
. 

A fairy tale.

His beloved World and beloved History of the Great Seven were all Fairy Tales in this world.

Skull doesn't know whether to laugh or cry. He settled for laugh only because of the resemblance he and the other former Dorm Heads have to the Great Seven, and the others to these _D*sney Villains_. He was even tempted to call the Yuu Generation (the generation where Yuu, their beloved Prefect, came into their lives) the Great Seven's Reincarnations.

"D*sney Villains are great!" That was why Skull got offended over Reborn insulting Ursula. _Ursula_! The Great Sea Witch, his _role mode_ l! No, no, that would _not_ do.

"What are you, Lackey, 10? D*sney sucks. Especially the Villains." Reborn smirked, and Skull was _very_ tempted to call Malleus over from Yuu's just to obliterate the bastard for insulting his late Grandmother.

But alas, he had to play the role of the Lackey.

That never stopped him from taking petty revenge.

And if Viper saw Skull almost wheezing amongst the laughing group when Reborn drank his espresso and spat out a mouthfull of squid ink, which is even more disgusting than industrial ink so that justified his reaction, they didn't say a thing, for seeing Reborn try and fail to find the culprit was very entertaining.

.  
.  
.

Skull sometimes wished desperately to swim in the ocean again, to hide from the torments from the other Cursed Ones and cry to his heart's content with only creatures of the Sea to bear witness.

If only magical resources existed in this blasted world. He felt his vision shift when he gets emotional, luckily his helmet was on so no one sees his inhuman eyes.

Huffing in irritation, he focused on his destination, Mafia Land. He needed something to distract himself from the pull of Home the Ocean emmits.

Messing with Colonnello has become one of his few methods to relieve pent up stress, something he enjoyed doing when he gets to Inking-level Stress. Skull isn't against petty revenges.

Seeing the blonde get a body-full of Oodako's tentacles had him in tears for the uptenth time. What would the soldier's reaction be if _he_ were the one squishing Colonnello Skull wonders. That would be worthwhile had he been able to make a potion to change him back and forth at will. His time limit of 6 months has been frozen since the Curse, and he's used up all of his back-up potions already.

One reason he doesn't want to drag the other Graduatees into this mess is because of the Mafia and Omerta and the dangers it would bring if they came into contact with him, the Cloud Arcobaleno. Malleus is an exception, he isn't worried for the Fae, that guy's powerful and basically immortal by all means. And he's stuck in a curse that could endanger the world. He also has a healthy amount of fear of the Vindice, thank you very much.

So even if the Dumbass Gang and the others talk to Yuu daily, they have not a clue where Azul Ashengrotto is. That's good.

Because the other reason, is that he does _not want the Leech Twins here in their kind of turf of all places_! They may be his best friends, but _he doesn't want their chaos to mix up with Reborn's_.

.  
.  
.

Tsuna has an unsettling feeling whenever he get's near Skull de Mort, the Cloud Arcobaleno.

He's not dangerous, but the man in the body of an infant gives off an aura of dark mystery that rivals the Varia's Mist, Mammon, and that puts the Sky on edge.

But then he started to spend more time with the Cloud, to Reborn's dissaproval, and finds himself quite enjoying Skull's company, once you get past his mask and sense of humor, of course. The ex-stuntman was caring and knows other people's limits and boundaries, what buttons to push and what to avoid. He's like an uncle who, if you spend enough time with, can find yourself attatched to.

If Skull heard his thoughts, he would have snorted, but wouldn't decline. Tsuna is like Yuu, and Skull really cares for this kid like he does for their Prefect.

It was when he witnessed the Arcobaleno's abuse on their Cloud that he realized why his Intuition was aggravated.

Skull was precious to him, as he is to Enma and the Caracassa who he secretly changed for the better, so the revealation had Tsuna more angry than he would have wished for. Because he had been like that once.

The week after, the abuse abruptly dropped in number, to Skull's utter confusion.

Viper offered nothing but a satisfied and evil smirk.


	2. Before the Beginning, After the End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Angst and a tiny bit of Verbal Abuse with mentions of past Bullying.

"Azul-senpai?"

The octopus Mer blinked furiously through his glasses.

"What in the world...?"

Yuu, he could clearly see them, furrowed their brows in confusion.

"What happened now? Who Overblotted?" Their voice held exasperation and a bit of tiredness.

"No no, you have mistaken." Azul quickly interjected. "It is mearly an accident that landed me here. I see you are doing well since we saw you yesterday." 

"Yesterday? Senpai, that was ten days ago. I think we have a bit of a time difference to our world."

Azul hummed. That... would make so much sense, actually.

"So it is possible to travel both ways now, even if the method is unstable at best." Yuu nodded.

"In the meantime, how interested are you in a new world?" Yuu grinned mischievously, and Azul was then reminded that this magicless Kouhai of his had been thrown into a whole new world filled with magic and not only survived, but _won and came out on top_.

They are basically the whole school's only hope against Overblot Outbreaks that happened regularly throughout their first year.

Azul, in spite of his crippling fear of heights, actually liked stunt biking a lot. He got famous within a year of debut and enough money to buy a customized blimp of his own on top of a new bike, leather suit and purifying helmet.

He's got to give Yuu credit for this.

.  
.  
. 

One. Time. 

The One Time he was on a curious phase and tried this World's hair dye and makeup aesthetics for himself, he gets dragged into the Mafia of all places.

Azul -Now officially known to others as Skull de Mort- felt his eye twitch excessively under the helmet.

These guys are even worse that the Leech Twins, and he has to act polite to the people who never even gave him an ounce of respect in the first place?

No way!

He's never felt so angry and frustrated, not since before Yuu came, but here he is with Ink threatening to spill like the poisonous words he would have spat had he no self-perservation. He could feel the pains signalling the beginings of an Overblot, but not quite.

He hopes he never reaches that point with these people.

Mafia with weird Flames at their disposal or not, when compared to magic, all it needs is a bit of otherworldly force to turn the table over.

So he swallowed the Ink and added extra arrogance to his voice behind the helmet.

If his panic and shrieks were real when the World's Greatest Hitman failed to kill him, well, Jade and Floyd aren't here to laugh.

.  
.  
. 

He... Accidentally killed a man..

Without his Tentacles.

Nor was it Jade or Floyd who had done it.

It was _him_.

When the others, the other Elements of the Tri-Ni-Sette, found him, it was the Cloud kneeling in front of a puddle of black liquid that's slowly mixing with the blood of the man he had killed.

That's probably his first kill.

Fon stared in pity while Renato clicked his tongue in annoyance.

"If you have time to weep, Lackey, drive us all back. That's all you're useful for, really."

Mechanically, Skull made his was to the car.

It was when everyone went to their respective rooms that Skull went out to the nearby ocean.

The scream he let out was pained and filled with rage and so much anger that could make any normal Cloud go on a Rampage.

Contrary to popular beliefs, Skull was _not_ an Inverted Cloud, but nor was he Classic.

His Territory isn't land or places.

It wasn't people either.

It simply is just his passion and dreams, his skills, self esteem, and most importantly, emotions.

Growing up bullied and made fun of by his peers in the ocean where they could swim to him at any angle made him dull to the concept of People or Places as Territories.

Azul used his anger and resentment to fuel his determination in achieving his ambition.

Now his Territories are stepped on an belittled and he couldn't find a way to rest and reduce his Blot.

'Screw it, i'm risking it.'

Skull was gone for a week.

Even with Viper's impressive Informant Network, they were unable to find the Cloud at all.

The Octopus Mer was now exploring the Earth's Ocean, bewildered and amazed at all the species that seemed familiar yet not.

He snickered upon seeing a pair of green speckled Moray Eels.

"I will call you Jade and Floyd 2.0."

_Back in their world, the Twins sneezed simulatneously while working in the kitchen of the new restaurant chain named Mostro Lounge, after the bar they had made and managed at colege._

Feeling the cool yet warm water on his skin relaxed Skull greatly.

" _Senpai? You haven't called since the Immortal Stuntman dissapeared! Are you alright_?!"

Azul chuckled lightly.

"A bit stressed, bordering Overblotting, but i am fine. I cannot tell you what is happening, for doing so will endanger you. As such, please keep our interraction to a minimum of once a month if you could manage. If i could get out of this situation, i will return without hesitation."

He could _see_ the Prefect frown on the other side, they hummed, somewhat worried.

" _If you say so, Azul-senpai. Just don't loose control please, i would love it if you Overblotted in my field of vision and not somewhere people could easily hurt you_."

Skull smiled. That's the caring Yuu they came to know.

"I will keep that in mind. Shall we speak later, Yuu-san?"

A confirmation, and then the line went dead after greetings were exchanged.

Skull sighed tiredly.

Seemed he has to return. He could see the Man in the Iron Hat lurking above sea water, looking at the darkness that covered his onyx tentacles and skin.

.  
.  
. 

He knew it.

He should not have let his guard down with them.

 _He should not have been so careless_.

Now cursed forever in the body of an infant, Azul has never been so _Furious_.

His eyes were dripping from the rage that shook his form, and the cold bile the rose up threatened to spill out in a torrent of black ink.

His eyes and hair shifted back and forth under the helmet that he had hastily put on and scrambled away.

Every breath stings. Every movement hurts. The dissaray in his limbs formed an abyss in the pit of his stomach.

He needed Yuu.

_He needs Yuu!_

Clutching at the ~~_HorribleThingChainCage_~~ Pacifier around his tiny neck with his chubby _tiny_ hands, he felt panic rise up again as he relized he wouldn't be able to ride his bike nor his blimp to Yuu, to the comforting Sky who isn't his, but who he considered Home.

For the first time in forever, Azul Ashengrotto truly felt weak.


	3. Silent Camaraderie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Viper slowly realizes the Cloud Arcobaleno isn't what he shows others.
> 
> They sit back and enjoy the show with a bowl of popcorn after their beautiful friendship.
> 
> Until it wasn't beautiful anymore, and it's too late to fix it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Angst, Graphic Depiction of Violence, Major Character Death, Huge spoilers for both the Game and the Anime, and my crap writing skills

"Vipeeeeer!!"

The Miser groaned and dematerialized where they had once been, leaving Skull to tackle the air and fall face first into the ground.

"Muu, for annoying me, it'll cost you."

Skull whined again.

They seriously couldn't understand _why_ Luce had chosen _him_ of all Clouds.

What an annoyance.

.  
.  
. 

"How...?"

The disbelief rang clear in their voice. The Civilian Stuntman -no, he hasn't been Civilian from the start- chuckled with an evil expression as he raised the parchment contract they had sighed for a bet against him.

"That's 75/25, pay up, Viper." Violet eyes flashed smugly as he smirked at the Mist's shock.

So, before you ask what the hell happened for Viper, of all people, to lose to Skull, i'll tell you.

It was simply an infiltration mission for the Mist and Cloud, and Skull had been confident on being able to pull off the act.

Viper of course doubted the other.

"If i can make it to the end without much fuss, 75% of the mission's pay goes to me."

"And if you fail, not only will you pay me that 75%, but the blame is on you."

Skull smirked. It's the first sign they should have backed off, but they didn't. Their pride didn't allow so.

"Bet?"

"Bet."

Skull chuckled evily as he shook Viper's gloved hand with his own, cementing the nonexistent contract.

" _ **It's a Deal**_."

Consider it one hell of a shock, when on the infiltration mission, not only did Skull not mess up, _he succeeded with flying fucking colours_.

"Why, i say my good sir, it's a pleasure to have you here at my ball. Not many Mafiosi here understand the way we work." The aristocrat who's the Don of the disgusting Famiglia let out a boisterous laugh.

Skull, who at the moment, is donning a grey button-up, a purple bow tie under a white formal sleeveless vest and dark grey khakis. His makeup were all wiped off safe for some faint traces of indigo eyeliners, and no studs or piercings were present on his face. As accessories, he also wears white leather gloves and a black fedora with a purple band where a lavender shell was placed on the bow of. Simple yet formal and elegant, his aura of professionalism and aristocracy far surpassed those of the Dons and Donnas attending the ball.

After all, he might as well be considered a Don already, despite not having access to Sky Flames, because being a Cloud is enough to earn respect.

That does not apply to the rest of the Bests, but to be honest, has he ever shown himself to them at all?

_The answer is Yes, it's just that no one cared enough to notice._

"The honour is all mine, signore, the ball is quite a pleasant change of scenary from the slums i have to lay my eyes on every day." Lies. Bold, white lies straight through his teeth, and the idiot believed that.

In the end, he got more that what he was asked to get, to the Miser's disbelief.

Holding the USB drive containing all the information gathered to be sent to the Vindice.

"I believe we had a deal." The Informant Broker really wished to punch that condescending smirk off his face.

.  
.  
.

Ever since they first got a glimpse of who Skull really is behind what he wanted others to believe him as, he gets more and more amusing to them.

First, he's got the same view on money as they do. Money and Information equals power, they both know that. It was ingrained into their brain through trauma and harsh living circumstances.

His twisted sense of humor and dramatic personality now became a norm to them, as they grew used to the not quite Inverted but not Classical Cloud that is Skull de Mort.

Second, they sometimes collaborate to get even _more_ money from some poor, miserable bastard. The debates over money just made it even more exciting.

So to return the favor Skull had unknowingly did for them, making their life slightly less bad, they hide him from the others sometimes.

That's the begining of their silent camaraderie.

.  
.  
.

Luce had betrayed them.

She... she turned them into sacrifices... _scapegoats_ for the Bastard in the Iron Hat, to be the new Vessels for the Tri-Ni-Sette... to be another link in the chain of the Rainbow Curse, the Arcobaleno.

Forever stuck in bodies of infants, drained of Flames till the day they die, or to receive a fate worse than Death and have their Flames break apart, resulting in what Mafiosi fear the most, the Vindice.

They were so angry, so infuriated and _betrayed_ they had lashed out at Skull.

Skull, sweet, caring Skull who just wanted to comfort his hurt friend, got the brunt of the harsh words instead.

They have never seen Skull cry before. Even until now.

Because he had ran away with his too large helmet obscuring his face.

Viper never knew the feeling of remorse and regret until that day where they had driven Skull to breaking point.

They never got the chance to do anything to compensate for their actions, because Skull was just... _gone_.

He never showed up to Arcobaleno meetings for a whole decade, and dissapeared off the radar for over half that time.

While the others all have Mafia connections, Skull was a Civilian, and that worried Viper. They were now part of the Varia Boss' Harmony as his Mist Guardian. But where does that leave Skull in the Caracassa?

Their scrying only led them to the Pacific Ocean, where ships and planes dissapear without a trace. the Bermuda Triangle.

They never got rid of the thought that they had failed him.

That they had betrayed Skull's trust also.

.

.

.

He's going to die.

_He's going to die!_

Mammon couldn't believe their eyes or any senses for that matter, because _Skull is Immortal_! He's survived the Mafia on his own for over forty years! He can't-

Not now!

"SKULL! COME BACK OR I SWEAR TO ANY DEITY OUT THERE THAT I'LL TAKE ALL YOUR MONEY AFTER KILLING YOU MYSELF!"

_Not when they haven't apologized to the Cloud for the years of misery they put him through!_

Skull gave a sad, _sad_ smile as he caressed the cold bodies of his fallen friends, the cyan haired twins who got on their nerves so many times.

The rest of the Arcobaleno haven't seen the Moray Twins yet, but Mammon has. He's introduced them to Mammon after 30 years of being gone.

They were his _family_.

Slowly, when the Flames in the air has finally been fully absorbed by Skull, that the Varia knew what he was doing.

They held Mammon, kicking and thrashing and _screaming for Skull to stop_ , but all of them knew, as soon as the air fell still, it was too late to come back. They would respect the Cloud's last wishes, and their own protective desire, for Mammon to be safe until the end.

Then, Skull's eyes shifted, and _standing there isn't Skull anymore. It's the person the Varia has gotten the pleasure of knowing before all of this descended down to hell. It's Azul Ashengrotto, the Greatest Trickster and Misty Cloud Xanxus had accepted as Quality_.

his skin turned pitch black as seashells grew, tearing his biker suit to shreds. Only his face and hands and a part of his now bare chest were an ashen grey of the smoke and death around them. Violet eyes turned dark sea blue with horizontal rectangular pupils, and ink ran down his face like a masquerade mask.

The Pacifier lay broken and stone grey at his nonexistant feet, and the tentacles wasted no time crushing the wind pipes and spinal chords of the Millefiore mafiosi who dared step forward to pursue his Mist. Spells were casted and every method of killing got more and more ruthless, to avenge the ones he'd lost to them.

He could feel himself breaking, and for once he didn't fear Death. He'd cared so much, gotten so sad and frustrated that he's gotten numb. Now with all his anger gone and limbs filled with lead and Flames eating away at his body, he fell.

Finally, he could rest.

From afar, Mammon felt the connection between them shatter as a loud explosion rang miles away, mixing with their anguished screams and saturating the air with destructive Cloud Flames in hopes of killing Byakuran and buying time for the others.

He didn't quite succeed, but the memories of grief and pain stayed with Mammon forever when they assited Tsunayoshi in going back to the past to change the timeline forever.

They never got to properly apologize.

 _And now they never will be able to_.


	4. Clashing Currents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Cursing

"How long is Azul gonna take his time? It's been at least 3 years already!" Floyd, the immature one of the pair, whined as he lay flat on the counter top of the bar, one of the many branches of the famous restaurant managed by their boss, Mostro Lounge, after what they had made during college.

Now it's only Jade and Floyd, because Azul suddenly dissapeared into Koebi-chan's world, and they haven't heard of him since.

"Let's pay him a visit, though i doubt he would be as young as he had been, considering the time difference Yuu-san told us about. That is why Malleus-senpai is so adamant against leaving their side."

Floyd huffed. He could clearly hear Jade's worries. What are twins for?

Besides, he would be lying if he said he'd only seen Azul as a tool. The octopus was more than that, and his absence had them very frustrated and concerned.

"Damnit, if Koebi-chan and the Sea Dragon* aren't able to help, what if we just take matters into our own hands?" Floyd frowned. "And let the anemones take care of the bars. They all know the consequences if they mess up."

"Oya, Floyd, you seem very eager to see our Boss again." Jade smiled. His twin snorted, bit didn't deny.

"Tomorrow, 9 A.M., the Mirror Portal room at Night Raven College. I will notify Headmaster Crowley of our arrival. Pack what we must, we ought to be prepared for the world our Prefect lives in."

.  
.  
. 

Nothing could compare to the awe the twins felt as they laid eyes on the world they currently are in.

"This place is...crowded." Floyd twitched.

"Oya, there are so many food stands. It is quite a shame we only have Madols on us." Floyd laughed at his twin's endless black hole of a stomach.

"Floyd-senpai, Jade-senpai, please don't run off so suddenly." Yuu sighed as they walked up to the mermen. They're middle-aged now, that saddens the twins. "You don't have money nor papers, so it's best you don't apply for jobs out here." They said as they pulled the Eels somewhere secluded.

"Hmmm, how complicated of your world, Yuu-san." Jade sighed, a "V" smile on his lips.

"What did Azul do when he got here then, Koebi-chan?"

"He joined the circus after doing stunts for a living. That was over 30 years ago. Now he's just _gone_ except for the occasional calls. He's known as Skull de Mort, actually, really famous for his death defying stunts.

The twins blinked in shock and awe.

It seem their little Tako had conquered his fear. Let's see if the same applies to a broom however.

"Where is he now?" Jade leaned in, smile all teeth. Yuu wasn't bothered nor intimidated in the least, and sighed in exasperation.

"Finally you guys came, because i have a suspicion he's involved with the Mafia."

.  
.  
.

The Mafia, Yuu had said.

It wasn't surprising, to Jade and Floyd at least, because they have connections everywhere back at Twisted Wonderland. Their father was a _Godfather_ after all.

Now to locate said Mafia, however...

_"He went to Italy, and never came back."_

How are they supposed to know what an 'Italy' is?...

"Excuse me, sir." Jade walked up to a random man. "Do you happen to know anyone by the name 'Skull de Mort'? Or what 'Italy' is?"

The man looked at them like one would a person who's been living under a rock their whole life.

"The Immortal Stuntman, the Great Skull of Death? He dissapeared 30-or-so years ago, never seen a trace. 'Used ta admire his stunts when i was a child."

Jade smiled and thanked the man, but his actions did not go unnoticed by a cloaked being whose size is that of a child's.

"Ehh?! How are we supposed to find him now?!" Floyd pouted, but his twin could feel the temperamental anger.

"You are looking for Skull." It wasn't a question. "Did you not know he had been gone for a long time." It was a statement.

The twins blinked at the tiny purple figure at their feet, before Jade regained his composure.

"Why, yes. He is a dear friend of ours. We had no idea the time difference could be that big of a gap."

"You do not look older than 30. If anything, you look 20 _at best_." They growled out.

"Hmph, outsiders wouldn't know shit about us _so shut the fuck up_." Floyd glared with wide dialated eyes. Jade chuckled into his gloved hand.

"Oya oya, Floyd, calm down." He turned to the Miser. "My apologies for my brother's disrespect towards you, xir, we will be leaving shortly-"

"Wait!"

Viper frowned under their hood. It seems these mysterious men are being somewhat truthful about Skull. They look like bold individuals.

"I know him. Skull was my collegue for the past 30 years. He's just came back recently."

"Heh~? So you must be in the Mafia!" The scruffy one drawled. _What?..._

"One of our friends have a suspicion as such-"

"Koebi-chan said he's in the Mafia, so he must be!"

"Floyd, calm-"

" _How am i supposed to fucking calm down_?!" Floyd blew up at his shocked twin.

"Azul's never been to a dangerous place without us before! He got dragged into the Mafia where we can never get out- just... Jade, he could die. He could have died."

The taller twin's outburst shook Jade. His hand subconciously gripped tightly over his chest. Floyd is right. Easygoing and loose he may be, he was far from an idiot.

Viper watched the interraction in silence. It seemed these Latents are familiar with the workings of the Mafia already, but not the Flames part.

Explaining to them won't be too hard.

.  
.  
.

"...So...we have Flames...and so does Azul?" Floyd furrowed his brows.

"It would seem so. Though we could manage just fine without Flames, Mammon-san." Jade said thoughtfully. "We only wanted to learn of Skull de Mort's wherebouts."

"Mu.. for wasting my time, that's 50 dollars." The Leech twins blinked, tilting their heads to opposite sides.

"What's that?"

The Mist's eyes twitched.

 _Fuck it, Skull owes them big time for this_.

They whipped out their phone and dialed the Cloud.

.  
.  
.

"Azul? You look... fashionable." Jade tried really hard no to join his twin who's rolling on the ground at the _child-size all around purple and punkish Azul_.

"Laugh it up, you idiots, i am goddamn cursed, and i would rather not show myself to the assholes out there."

Floyd ignored the insults and promptly glomped the Cloud Arcobaleno. "Hug-sized Azul! Squishable Azul! I can hug you all day!"

Skull paled drastically. This was _not_ the time to test his apparent immotallity!

"FLOYD GET OFF ME NONO _NONO **NO**_ -"

That was how Viper came to meet the Twins from another world, Jade and Floyd Leech.

And how they came to know Skull's real name, Azul Ashengrotto.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *: it's the nickname for Malleus i bullcrapped my way through


	5. Encore

Tsuna woke up with a jolt. He looked around, trying to put together his thoughts and process the situation.

He was in his room, before he moved to Italy with the rest of his guardians.

Byakuran was nowhere to be found.

And...

The sky was actually _blue_ before all that smoke and radiation obscured the sunlight-

They did it...

 _They did it_ -

!

They suceeded in changing the past.

 _They were alive_.

.  
.  
.

He was dead.

He'd given up. He'd found his resting place.

_Why is he not dead_

"AZUL!"

Before he could put together his mental stability, Mammon-Viper was hugging him.

They were hugging him so tight it hurts.

It hurts because he couldn't breath through the tears and gasps from his ugly cried. His airway constricted into itself and Skull screamed until his throat felt scratchy and raw.

He didn't know how long Viper had been hugging him. It felt nice. He doesn't want to let go.

"Don't ever do that to me again, you Idiot Octopus, or i swear i'll drain you to the last penny." Viper growled through their shaky breath. "The annoying Leech Twins would ground you for years, and i'll let them do as they please."

That's right. Everyone who'd died are alive again.

It was the Mist's silent confirmation that made Skull smile.

He chuckled through the tears.

"I think we have had enough of Overblots for now. Yuu-san will kill me."

.  
.  
.

"SKULL, YOU _MORONIC, IDIOTIC **FUCK**_!"

Enma, the Don of the Shimon Famiglia who've been unfortunate enough to be dragged into the Representative Battle, something both the Cloud Arcobaleno and Shimon never agreed to, sat next to Skull the entirety of his hospitalization time.

And now the kid's gotten attatched.

Anyway, he and his Glacier jumped, preparing for an attack only to relax just a bit at the sight of the Arcobaleno Mist.

Skull would laugh at their obvious loss of composure if he weren't in so much pain from the hole that punctured his frontal lobe and fractured his cranium.

Anyway, Mammon had _some_ sense to refrain from tackling him, which Skull is grateful for.

"We're free." They whispered, as if in disbelief themself.

"I canct believe it. The Vongola's Lion's son has done the impossible."

Ah... _That's why he felt light_.

His Flames were no longer repressed. He could feel them cursing through his veins like water currents.

Skull relaxed into the hospital bed, to Enma's panic. Adelheid calmed her Earth and nodded at the Cloud, even if he couldn't see the motion.

The last thing he heard before slipping away to dreamland was the sound of shouts, gunshots and doors being ripped off their hinges-

"-Azul!"

.  
.  
.

"What is your buisness here." Reborn looked condescendingly at the glowering Latent Storm, who snarled even more aggressively.

"Fuck off, we ain't have time for ya. We're here ta' see Azul, so _move_."

The clicking of the gun was heard as the Hitman glared at heterochromatic eyes.

"At a Mafia Hospital? If you act more politely, i may even consider letting you live."

The teal haired man growled animanistically. The other person, a Sun or something, who's obviously his twin smiled, eyes sharp and teeth bared to show rows of sharp flesh cutters.

"Oya, i do not think you know who we are talking about, Hitman-san. We may not have Active Flames like the rest of you, but i assure you we will not go down easily."

"Now step off so we can see Azul! I needa ground 'im from everything foreva afta this!" The man with the right bangs huffed, and in spite of his towering build, slipped easily past the now Ex-Arcobaleno and Reborncs bullets at once.

Before they realized what happened, the man was long gone down the hospital halls. He did not just survive four of the strongest Ex-Arcobaleno, admittedly still baby-sized, at once, the Latent had come out unscathed and uncaring of what calamity he's caused.

"Floyd, please do not-" The man's twin frowned dissapprovingly.

**BANG!**

"-remove the doors of it's hinges." He finished off with a shake of the head even as the barrel of a gun was pressed against his left temple.

" ** _Who are you_**."

Reborn was about to shoot that infuriating grin off the other man's face, before Viper -Mammon- materialized next to him.

"Mu... Reborn, if you so much as hurt this man, i will drain every single _cent_ you have in your pocket."

"What the hell, Kora!" Colonnello yelled, confused and irritated. "why are you siding with the enemy?!"

"They aren't my enemy. Only you see them as such." They replied calmly.

Reborn gritted his teeth and he jumped down from the man's shoulder. Not because he cared much about money, but because if the Miser is standing up for someone, they must be damn important.

"Oya. I must pay a visit to Azul and my brother now. Kindly get out of my way." His eyes narrowed dangerously.

It was until the twins left that the rest of the Ex-Arcobaleno turned to Mammon for an explanation.

"Any information will cost you."

"How much do you want? I'm sure we can manage." Fon smiled, curious to who they were to make their Mist act up like that.

At a very, _very_ high price that keeps adding and adding, Mammon finally relented.

"Those two are the Leech Twins. Floyd the one acting like a child, and Jade, the mature one. You don't know them, because you never saw them in The Future That Never Was. They are extremely dangerous and volatile even without being Active, especially when one of their own is hurt.

That is all i am willing to share."

Reborn grumbled at the lack of information, but he knows he wouldn't get more of anything out of Mammon.

When the Mist went to check on their resting Cloud, they fought the urge to smile as Skull, his whole frontal lobe bandaged, nested between the giants that are the Moray Tweels, body more relaxed than all the other times they've seen him.

Of course, this calls for Blackmail.

.  
.  
. 

Skull dried his now-silverish hair as he exited the bathroom of the Arcobaleno Mansion.

Months have passed, and yet it felt like years again.

His face was devoid of makeup, something he hasn't seen for a lonh time. The appearance of his beauty mark brought comfort he never knew was possible.

Jade and Floyd would be coming back to this world tomorrow. Of course, they still have work at Mostro Lounge, and Floyd isn't a patient merman.

Hell, he's surprised Jade isn't their boss yet.

Dispersing the Cloud Flames in his irises, Skull sighed and put on his glasses.

Gently scooping up Oodako from his little aquarium, Skull smiled and cooed at his cute Familiar.

"You'll be able to see the Ocean again, isn't it marvelous? So many space, so many fish, so many beautiful coral reefs!" Both Octopi sighed at the dream of swimming under the waves again.

Oodako gurgled in agreement, and Skull chuckled good-naturedly.

_Maybe the years spent with Mammon and Yuu had mellowed him out, Skull wondered._

The Flame Octopus could listen to his Master all day with this soft and smooth voice that flows like the gentle clashings of the wave. It's a shame, those vile ones made him use it less and less, but Oodako will always savour the sound. The Moray Eels are good influence on Master, so Oodako roots for them.

Unaware of his Familiar's inner dialogue, Skull hummed a tune as he swayed to the beat of the music in his mind, putting on his old purple blazer the Twins have given him after they returned the second time.

Chosing casual instead of his usual formal, he'd worn a simple white t-shirt underneath, complete with jeans loose enough to be comfortable, and black military boots.

Shrinking his Familiar to fit the travel aquarium, Skull opened the glass windows and _jumped_.

He'd almost forgotten how it feels to be free again.

_Back at the Arcobaleno Mansion, Colonello ran back down in a panic at seeing Skull's vacant room, void of his odd little trinkets and items that filled up the whole room before, and the wide open windows showing the beautiful full moon through the fluttering silk curtains._

_Yuni smiled sadly, as she felt the Cloud that was never theirs shift away from them, further and further._

_Mammon smirked underneath their cloak._

_The Mafia is in for a **rude** wake up call._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For anyone who's wondering:
> 
> Azul:  
> •Mist Primary  
> •Cloud Secondary
> 
> Jade:  
> •Rain Primary  
> •Sun and Mist Secondaries
> 
> Floyd:  
> •Storm Primary  
> •Lightning and Cloud Secondaries

**Author's Note:**

> I'm very new and very bad at this stuf, please give feedback because i need to know what i effed up, thank you.


End file.
